Tag Archives | personal development

How To Use Feedback To Improve Performance

By on August 27, 2010 in Success

Many people do not want to hear opinions or assessments from others about their work and/or life quality. It is an unfortunate part of human nature that we prefer to avoid all potentially negative information in order to insulate ourselves from criticism. Why do we do that? And why do we assume or fear that the feedback will be negative? Maybe it’s the underlying feeling that we are not good enough that is so pervasive in American Society or the habit of only giving feedback when something is wrong. I’m not a psychologist, so I won’t delve into the reasons here (though I have my theories.) The plain fact is that feedback is an often overlooked, yet extremely valuable component of productivity. If used properly it can be an indispensible tool in your productivity arsenal that can give you a competitive advantage over your peers.

Feedback is simply a tool; an instrument if you will for both validation and growth. Be cautious not to attach personal feeling to this information. Keep it in its proper perspective however and only give it the importance it deserves. Feedback is not about you as a person; it is about assessing and improving work or activities that you do.

A few weeks ago, just about when I had started questioning if anybody was listening to me or cared what I had to offer, I received a gift from Ezine Articles that made a significant impact on me. Every individual wonders if they really can do the job and we all need a pat on the back once in a while. The beauty of this gesture was twofold for me: first, it provided validation that I do quality work that does indeed have value in the marketplace; second, it was a great example of how can give appropriate feedback to others with whom I work and live.

With that in mind, let’s talk about how to use feedback properly:

  • You must ask for it – Many people just do not think to give feedback or only do so when it’s negative. Make it a regular practice to ask your co-workers, supervisor, clients or customers how you are doing. (You may also consider asking your partner or children if you dare.)
  • Listen – It does no good to ask for feedback if you do not really listen with an open mind.
  • Filter – Consider the possible bias or perspective of the other person before you decide how much importance to place on their opinions. Do you respect the person’s views? Are they knowledgeable in the specific area? Do you trust them to be honest with you?  If not, feel free to disregard them.
  • Analyze – If the feedback is positive, how can you use it to continue to improve? Don’t dismiss praise or accolades! If it’s negative, what can you learn from it? Where is there room for improvement? Note: Any feedback that is purely destructive has nothing to offer you and should be ignored. Feedback that is mean-spirited is not useful to anyone.
  • Give positive feedback – Learn to offer positive feedback to others. Be honest, thoughtful and constructive in your opinions. Even if your assessment is negative, find a way to offer it coupled with helpful ideas.

Don’t be afraid of feedback or opinions of people whom you value. Use it, bask in it and learn from it. Open your ears and open your mind; grow and thrive.

Do you have any feedback for me? I’m all ears….

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questions

Important Questions to Gain Perspective and Stop Wasting Time

By on August 17, 2010 in Personal Growth, Success

Productivity without a purpose is just busyness disguised as importance.

When was the last time you took a step back and tried to put everything about your life and work into perspective? Most likely the answer is never. I don’t just mean big picture plans, I mean what you actually do every day, how you act, how you spend your time and energy, why you do the things you do. Just humor me for a few minutes and entertain the concept that what you think you need to do or what you should do may not actually be true. Most of our patterns or behaviors are learned or acquired from others and then we never question them again until either something terrible happens or someone causes us to examine them. A recent vacation and a complete change in surroundings started me thinking about my own patterns and probing their effectiveness and even their necessity. This is why taking a break, stepping back and getting outside your “box” that has become your life is so important to both your personal and professional development.

questions

I am challenging you now to scrutinize every pattern of behavior or routine and ask yourself these questions:

  • Why am I doing this? What is the purpose?
  • How much time do I really need to spend on it?
  • Is there a faster, easier or more enjoyable way to accomplish it?
  • What would happen if I stopped doing it?

It feels disloyal in a way to question your own perspective and thoughts, because hey, we all think that we are right. We don’t really like to entertain the idea that we could be completely off-base and have been wasting our time and energy when we could be doing something much more valuable like developing ideas, connecting with people or maybe even having fun!

My own investigation revealed the following insights:

  1. Perhaps I do not need to spend an hour every day on my social media communications. I gained Twitter followers and had engagement even during my vacation period, with considerably less structured tweeting, but Facebook almost completely fell off the grid. My assignment: try switching up the amount of time and the schedule that I currently use to see if I can reduce the time commitment and make it more fun.
  2. Writing my blog posts ahead during assigned writing periods seems more productive, but isn’t the most fun way to write for me. How can I make my writing may be more effective, enjoyable and relevant?  My assignment: Try setting aside the first hour of my work day and write about what is on my mind and current.
  3. My exercise routine gets boring and that makes it a chore some days and hard for me to stick to my plan. What if I really don’t need to be so rigid in my schedule? How can I make exercise more fun and still get the results I want? My assignment: Experiment with including different activities, i.e. biking, walking the dogs, yoga, a weighted ball; instead of my standard running and weightlifting routine.

Stay tuned for my next post on my “Shake it Up” experiment….

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victory

Key Questions: What Are Your Limits?

By on July 27, 2010 in Success

Are you limiting yourself? Do you even realize that you are doing it? Most of us don’t. It’s certainly not intentional, but most of us are guilty of it at one point or another, myself included. We just have in our mind the belief that we can’t do something; we aren’t talented enough, strong enough, smart enough, whatever the reason. We think this belief is fact, but in reality it is only our thought and it is not set in stone. If you are willing to take a fresh look at these self-imposed limitations and honestly question them, you’d be surprised at what you might discover.

This past weekend I really wanted to go for my morning run, but it had been raining horrendously and it was threatening to start again. Normally I would have dismissed the idea out of hand. I’m a fair weather runner. I only like to run or walk outside when it is sunny and 60 degrees. You will not find me with my hat and gloves or rain slicker. Just for a moment I had a flash of daring and I thought why not? What is the worst that will happen? I may get soaked. I may have to cut my exercise short. I may be uncomfortable and hate it. Just once I decided to take a chance and go for it.

I laced up my shoes and off I went. About 5 minutes in it started sprinkling. I got a little nervous, but decided it wasn’t too bad and I could keep going. After about 15 minutes the rain started coming down harder, but I was at the halfway point and far from my home. There was nothing I could do now so I kept going, determined to make the best of it. It felt unfamiliar, but not awful. All of the sudden it occurred to me that I was running in the rain; something I thought I never would do and never could do. Huh….imagine that. At the 30 minute mark I rounded the corner toward home, pumped my fists in the air like a gold medal Olympic runner and felt victorious.

If you had told me last week that I would not only manage to run for 30 minutes in inclement weather, but set a personal best time while doing it, I would have said that you were crazy. Today, that limit no longer exists for me and has opened my mind to a whole new set of possibilities. I started to question myself. Where else am I limiting myself? What else can I do that I thought was not conceivable?

victory

This is transferable to all areas of our lives and work. Ask yourself:

What limitations have you placed on yourself?

Could you stretch them just a little?

Is there something that you would like to do that you just don’t think you can manage?

Why is it not possible?

Is it a fact of reality or just a thought or perception that you hold?

Stretch yourself and be open to all of the new possibilities!

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Know Yourself – Critical Productivity Success Strategy

By on July 7, 2010 in Success

Do you really know yourself? Have you thoroughly identified, examined and analyzed your thought patterns, activity routines, preferences, abilities and comfort zones? Probably not. Most people never take the time to truly understand how and why they do what they do. Are they afraid of what they will find? Do they judge themselves too harshly? Find too many areas that fall short?

What if we look at it in another way? What if instead of judging,  berating and spending time and effort trying to improve and change everything that you or current business wisdom thinks is wrong;  you instead just decide to go with what you’ve got and learn to make it work for you? Why do we have to label everything good or bad? How about, it just is! This does not mean that you stop striving for efficiency, growth, knowledge and success, but just don’t place quite so much focus on it.

Perhaps one of the most overlooked, but often most critical component of maximizing your productivity and business and personal success is finding and using what works best for you as an individual or your company as an entity. The news is full of both people and organizations that seem to break all the rules, yet in spite of or maybe because of their quirks still become wildly successful and seem incredibly content. What if your comfort zone isn’t such a bad place to spend maybe 80% of your time?

What’s comfortable for you?

Some preferences or styles to consider:

  • Time
  • Temperature
  • Pace
  • Atmosphere
  • Work style
  • Life style
  • Social style
  • Communication preferences

For example, my husband prefers to run outside in any weather, at 4AM, in 45 degrees at a moderate pace; while I prefer to run outside as long as it is reasonably nice, at 7AM, in 60 degrees at a good clip, but I take walk breaks if I need them. Both work.

I prefer to work at a very fast, focused pace in a solitary environment with music in the background or on my iPod to shut out the world. I also work in comfortable clothes and sometimes in my pajamas and slippers. Others work at a slower, but steady pace and prefer noise or co-workers around them. Many people feel better working in professional attire and make-up.  I’ll admit that the “experts” including me on occasion have been proponents of “dressing for success” and I still agree on the whole, but if you are one of the few for whom that doesn’t feel right then by all means ignore that piece of advice.  Many a best-selling novel or million dollar deal has been made while wearing flannels!

Do you prefer to start work early at 5AM, keep office hours starting at 9 or are you most productive in the evening?

Do you separate each job, client or project and draw a clear boundary between each as well as your private life or do you intersperse all types of work, play and family and that seems to work for you?

Do you prefer to communicate in person, via phone or by email? All are valid and have different advantages and disadvantages.

The key to this strategy is to know what is most effective for you. If something is not working for you, i.e. you really could get more done if you got up and started working before the kids woke, but you stay up too late watching TV and don’t get out of bed, then by all means CHANGE IT! But if you enjoy conducting business in your bathrobe at noon in your bunny slippers, then just don’t use video conferencing please!

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persevere

Perseverance is Key to Success

By on June 18, 2010 in Success

persevere

Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.  ~Newt Gingrich

Perseverance –Definition: A steady and continued action or belief, usually over a long period and especially despite difficulties or setbacks .

“I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position one has reached in life as by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed.”
 Booker T Washington

Perseverance is one of the most essential qualities that we require to achieve our goals. It is often the key that separates accomplishment from disappointment. You must go after a goal and dig in to a task or project until it is completed. This is sometimes the hardest facet of productivity to master. It is much easier when things go smoothly – the real test is when the obstacles and excuses start rolling in. When this happens; take a page from Nike and “Just Do It!”

Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Tips to help you persevere:


1. Get very clear on what your goal is.

2. Set your intention and visualize success.

3. Research and acquire the knowledge necessary to succeed.

4. Develop a good support system.

5. Keep a positive attitude.

6. Choose productive behaviors & maintain a healthy lifestyle.

7. Be willing to take risks & don’t be afraid of mistakes.

8. Stay consistent with small steps every day

9. Set a deadline  & checkpoints

10. Reward yourself for a job well done!

The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won’t.  ~Henry Ward Beecher

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Are You Productive or Just Busy?

By on June 16, 2010 in Success

Some can’t distinguish between being busy and being productive. They are human windmills, flailing at work, but actually accomplishing little. – Caroline Donnelly

Often it is very difficult to tell the difference between being busy and being productive. On the surface they can appear much the same. Whether you are rushing or focusing, surrounded by chaos or organization, never finish anything or are triumphantly checking tasks off with a righteous pen. Even if you are constantly busy; if you don’t accomplish anything then you are not productive.

People can keep themselves busy in many ways; spending all their time organizing and  preparing ( some is good – too much is bad), talking on the phone , buried in email, visiting with people, surfing the internet or haunting social media outlets, dealing with other people’s problems, etc. However, indiscriminate, even scheduled busyness can often lead to frustration and feeling ineffectual if you are busying yourself with things that aren’t really important.

A great question to ask yourself is:

Are the items on your task list bringing you closer to achieving your most important goals?

If not, then take a really careful look at why you are still doing it! Being truly productive does not involve just checking things off your list or always getting a lot done. It involves pinpointing and completing the specific tasks or projects that will get you where you really want to go. If you want to maximize your success and get the most bang for your buck time-wise, then make sure that you are not wasting time on useless busyness.

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knowledge

Invest in yourself

By on May 4, 2010 in Success

knowledgeInvest in Yourself is one of the most important Golden Rules of Productivity.

Investing in yourself will yield the highest returns of any investment you have ever made. If you want to stay competitive or be at your most effective you need to keep learning and growing on a regular basis. In today’s world with the constantly changing technology, concepts and guidelines if you aren’t improving your knowledge and skills, you will be out-of-date in mere months. You have to stay current if you want to be the best – and I am assuming that you do or you would not be reading this blog.

What does investing in yourself look like? It does not mean that you need to be perpetually enrolled in higher education, though that is an option if it appeals you. Learning and growing can take many forms. It may be as simple as having subscriptions to trade publications – either in print or online – to stay up on new trends. The caveat there is that you must actually read them! You may attend conferences, workshops or other forms of training, take online webinars or read current books in your area of expertise. You may work towards an advanced degree or certification. Any knowledge or skills that you can acquire can help you grow.

This is not just limited to your business skills either. If you want to take a writing course at the local college or learn photography that’s fine. Maybe you want to hone your musical skills or become a gourmet cook. All of these skills help you to stretch and grow as a person and can be easily transferable no matter what you do in your “business” life. Your mind stays sharp, your comprehension of current trends and conversations increases, your confidence rises and your proficiency in areas such as analysis and problem-solving also improve. Knowledge and growth will help you become a more valuable commodity in any area.

To read more about the other Golden Rules of Productivity click here.

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How to be a Productive Communicator

By on April 21, 2010 in Success

Communication is an integral part of any work or life situation. Learning to be an effective communicator is a valuable productivity tool. It is one that is unfortunately commonly overlooked. The consequences of poor communication can be disastrous; wasted time, hurt feelings, misunderstandings, unproductive meetings, ineffective teamwork and lack of progress towards goals. In order to be successful communicators we need to keep in mind some basic guidelines that are applicable in most instances of work, social or home environments.

Thank you up front:

  • Express appreciation for the persons time
  • Offer thanks for the work or contribution the person is making

Engage the other person

  • Find some common ground  – weather, sports, news or whatever is appropriate(avoid controversial topics)
  • Inquire about children or projects the person is involved in

Stay positive:

  • Find something positive to praise
  • Only offer constructive criticism or ideas

Monitor your tone:

  • Be assertive, not aggressive
  • Stay calm and cooperative

Be clear about your objectives:

  • What is your desired outcome?
  • Look for win-win solution

Be an active listener:

  • Seek to understand the other person’s perspective
  • Make eye contact
  • Don’t interrupt
  • Keep an open mind

Watch non-verbal cues:

  • Pay attention to body language
  • Notice yawns or sighs

Request feedback:

  • Make sure the other person understands what you are saying
  • Ask for the other person’s input or thoughts

Determine follow-up:

  • Summarize the agreements in oral or written form
  • Clarify any actions that will be taken
  • Confirm commitments and time-frame if any

Perhaps most importantly, always end with another thank you and a positive note!

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bullseye goal

Are Your Goals SMART?

By on April 14, 2010 in Success

bullseye goalSpecific: Goals must be very clear, not sort of vague ideas. We often set goals that are so generic, it’s nearly impossible to measure progress or successful achievement. You need to know what has to be done or what specifically the desired end result will be.

BAD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to lose weight – Well who doesn’t? What does that mean?

GOOD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to lose 20 pounds by September 1st. I will perform a half hour of cardio and half hour of strength training per day, 5 times a week.

Measurable: Goals need to be measurable. They should be well-defined, concrete goals and must be in qualitative or quantitative terms. If your goals are not measurable, you will never know whether you are making progress toward their successful completion. Choose some unit of measurement that will allow you to see exactly how far you have come and how far away from the completion of the goal you are.

BAD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to be rich.
  • I want to be successful.

GOOD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to gross 1 million dollars and have a team of 5 within 3 years.

Attainable: Goals need to be realistic and achievable. Time and again, success or failure depends on setting practical goals. The best goals require you to stretch a bit to achieve, but they aren’t out of reach. Don’t set yourself up for failure by setting goals that are too high. You should consider your skills and resources available to help you achieve your goal. Creating goals that are not attainable is very disheartening and will only serve to discourage you in life.

BAD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to become a millionaire in 3 months (don’t we all!)

GOOD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to make an extra $500 per month.
  • I want to increase my savings account by $10,000 in 3 years.

Relevant: Goals must be relevant to your purpose (or your company’s.)  Relevant goals ensure that you are directing your effort towards goals that are focused on your mission statement, business objective or overall strategic long-term plan in life. The goal also has to be relevant or consistent with your responsibilities, knowledge, skill set, and access.

BAD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to network more – Why? What does that get you? How?

GOOD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to build a charitable foundation that helps feed the homeless.

Time Sensitive: Goals need to have a time frame, milestones and a deadline. Having a set amount of time will give your goals structure. It also helps you monitor your progress. Not having time constraints attached to your goal triggers procrastination. Without an end date there is no sense of urgency, no impetus to take any action today. Without this component we are tempted to put the goal off for a later time and never get around to it; or it simply gets overshadowed by the day to day grind.

BAD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to write a book.
  • I want to start my own business.

GOOD EXAMPLE:

  • I want to write a book on financial planning and submit it to publishers 1 year from today.
  • I want to have a retirement account with at least $500,000 within 5 years from this date.

By spending some time towards making sure that your goals fit the SMART criteria, you will make your success much more likely.

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giving

Have You Discovered Your Gifts?

By on April 13, 2010 in Personal Growth

giving

We may not be aware of it yet, but each of us has a unique set of gifts and talents that enable us to fulfill our special purpose and contribution to the world.  Some of us discover our talents early in life in the more obvious ways as an athlete, artist, storyteller or natural teacher.  Others tend to bloom later and their gifts are less obvious; they may be great in supporting people through excellent listening skills and empathy, they may be terrific organizers and project managers, they might be great fund-raisers,  or patient with the elderly or disabled.

Innate gifts come in a wide variety of forms. You may realize that you are a gifted mother, wife and household manager; or you may be a natural visionary for a charity board; or possibly the creative idea person who develops new concepts.

Are our distinctive gifts those talents we are innately good at or are they the things we naturally love to do?  Most likely it is a little of both, but the gifts that come from our passion, our creativity or inspiration are the ones are ultimately the most powerful. Giving a gift that we all have readily available –the gift of love –is perhaps the most wonderful of all.

So, how can you identify what your gifts are?  Ask your friends and family to help you discover them.  What stands out about you may be blatantly clear to others, but may not always be as apparent to you.  Follow your heart.  Whatever your gifts are, don’t discount them, each one is valuable: all are equally important to each of us in fulfilling our individual purpose, as well as learning our own life’s lessons.  There are so many gifts people share that may seem invisible or inconsequential, but that have a lasting influence on those around them.

Once you uncover your special gift, share it with the world! In addition, mentor others, either directly or by example. That is a magnificent gift to give.  Share what you’ve learned and help others along the way, so they can turn around and do the same thing. It’s a kind of “pay it forward,” circle of support that  contributes something valuable to the world and at the same time provides satisfaction, growth and joy to the giver.

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